Flat panel TV screens, such as plasma and LCD screens, are becoming increasingly popular and affordable. Such screens are often mounted on a room wall. This can result in a somewhat less than aesthetic appearance. Also, electronic equipment employed in association with the screen can present its own problems. Not only is such equipment exposed to view, it often is located at a location or locations remote from the screen itself. Separate cabinetry can be utilized to accommodate the equipment; however, this can be inconvenient as well as relatively expensive. Then too, wires and electrical interconnections between such equipment and the screen present an unsightly appearance.
As will be seen below, the system of the present invention incorporates a frame which not only improves the appearance of the flat panel TV screen but also can be utilized to hold electronic modular equipment associated with the screen and maintain such equipment essentially hidden from view. This not only eliminates the need for existing equipment to be right next to or below the TV, but also eliminates from view interconnecting wiring.
According to one embodiment of the invention, the frame can accommodate a wireless receiver to transfer information from remote devices to the TV with which the frame is associated.
A search of the prior art located the following: U.S. Pat. No. 4,002,831, issued Jan. 11, 1977, U.S. Pat. No. 6,266,069, issued Jul. 24, 2001, U.S. Pat. No. 3,294,905, issued Dec. 27, 1966, U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,209, issued Oct. 15, 1996, U.S. Pat. No. 6,550,172, issued Apr. 22, 2003, U.S. Pat. No. 5,638,096, issued Jun. 10, 1997, U.S. Pat. No. 6,543,167, issued Apr. 8, 2003, U.S. Pat. No. 4,675,755, issued Jun. 23, 1987, U.S. Pat. No. 5,543,925, issued Aug. 6, 1996, U.S. Design Pat. No. 473,877, issued Apr. 29, 2003, U.S. Design Pat. No. 392,682, issued Mar. 24, 1998 and Patent Application Publication No. US 2003/0093445.
Although it is known in the prior art to incorporate decorative adornments and cases with standard cathode ray tube television sets and computer monitors, there is no disclosure of a frame in conjunction with flat panel wall mountable TV screens, such as plasma and LCD screens. Furthermore, there is no teaching of the features of applicant's invention as disclosed and claimed herein relating to utilization of frame structure with other system components to hold electronic module equipment to be utilized in association with the flat panel TV screen or as a wireless receiver for external remote components.